The Valdez Star - Serving Prince William Sound and Copper River Basin

News briefs

The City of Valdez has withdrawn its appeal protesting the state’s estimated population of Valdez according to John Hozey, city manager.

“They’re playing hardball with us,” Hozey told the Valdez City Council a week ago Tuesday. Instead, the city will accept the state’s estimated population of 3992. Hozey said state officials had implied the city might lose a number of residents counted in the city’s population count if the state accepted the city’s methodology.

The Coast Guard received a call from a good Samaritan reporting two hikers were stranded on Rock Island, about a quarter mile from Valdez.

The small boat crew launched and arrived on scene about 10 minutes later. The rescue crew safely took the hikers aboard and transported them to Valdez. They were reportedly in good condition with no injuries.

“The Coast Guard recommends carrying multiple forms of communication when in the outdoors and not to rely solely on cellular phones,” said Mike McNeil, with Sector Anchorage command center. “Recommended devices include handheld VHF radios, satellite phones and personal locator beacons. We also recommend carrying a survival kit, water and food in case of emergencies.”

SERVS reaches milestone

On June 6, 2012, Alyeska Pipeline achieved an operational milestone its corporate communications office announced Tuesday after the company’s Ship Escort Response Vessel System (SERVS) conducted its 12,000th tanker escort.

The press release said the marine tanker “Polar Discovery” departed from the Valdez Marine Terminal under escort by SERVS’ tugs “Aware” and “Nanuq.” SERVS was established in 1989 to prevent oil spills by assisting tankers in safe navigation through Prince William Sound, and to protect the environment by providing rapid and effective response services to the Valdez Marine Terminal and Alaska crude oil shippers.

Community foundation proposal touted

Public meetings are planned Thursday June 7, and Friday, June 8, in Valdez to help decide if there is enough interest in Valdez to start a proposed community foundation according to Patricia Relay, executive director for the Valdez Museum.

The meetings are scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Valdez Senior Center on Thursday and at 10 a.m. Friday at the Valdez Museum and Historical Archive. The public is invited to attend these informational meetings to learn more about the proposed program.

Valdez Star photo

Volunteers scattered throughout Valdez city limits Saturday to help with the annual community clean up, which will last a week this year. The event was held in June this year after heavy winter snows lingered late into spring, covering a winter’s worth of accumulated trash.

Relay said in an emailed notice Tuesday that the foundation could be an important step in expanding private philanthropy in Valdez and allow existing nonprofit groups to focus on core services and then rely on the foundation for technical and financial help. The Alaska Community Foundation, assisted by the Rasmuson Foundation, has already helped establish several affiliates across the state.

Haines, Homer, Juneau, Kenai, Petersburg, Seward and Talkeetna have set up local foundations according to Relay’s email. As of last September these entities had raised nearly $4 million in assets for permanent endowed funds that support local projects.

The Alaska Community Foundation assists with financial management, legal expertise, investment oversight, IRS reporting obligations and compliance with the best practices of the National Council on Foundations.

"Communities may develop their own endowment funds, and local advisory boards raise money for their community endowments. We all benefit by sharing financial management and the administrative and training resources of the Alaska Community Foundation," the foundation says on its website.